Galle: Over 50 Registrars of Births, Deaths and Marriages islandwide, have been suspended from duties, as they had registered underage marriages unlawfully, said All Island Registrars' Union President, Ranbanda Basnayake in Galle recently.

He was addressing the 10th anniversary meeting of its Galle district branch presided by the Registrar General L.K. Ratnasiri.

Basnayake said that, forged marriages were frequently taking place relating to garment factory workers in order to obtain EPF and Employees Trust Fund benefits.

"Therefore Registrars must act in order to keep the respect of the profession" he told the Registrars. "A certain Registrar deploying another person to register such a marriage giving him needy documents was one such incident" he noted.

"It may be due to falling too marriages to be registered at one time due to one auspicious time but it was unlawful", he stressed.

"Anyhow, long awaited demands have been won by Registrars", he said. Some more demands are yet to be won, he said.

"You have been able to win most of your demands so far, and the previously paid Rs. 250, fee for per registration of a marriage has been increased up to Rs. 1,000, he said. And the payment fee for one Birth Certificate increased from Rs. 10, to Rs. 25", he pointed out.

Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages are common duties but its difficulties are understood only after faced disputes related to the exigence of those duties", he stressed. Grama Niladaries, Mid-wives, PHIs, Inquirers into Sudden Deaths and Estate Superintendents will also be educated on the new project, Basnayake said.

"There was an era, when no educational qualifications were required for this post. Ability to read and write was the only qualification needed then to be a registrar. But today it is not, Registrar post today is an honorary post", he said.

Social service and Social Welfare Deputy Minister, Lionel Premasiri said, that, Sri Lanka was still practising then British Law related to Birth, Deaths and Marriages and those in marital bondages under cultural ties should be allowed separations, he pointed out.